The present invention relates to a rotary grain distribution system and specifically to an improved system for coupling the distributor to one of the storage bins.
In recent years, the use of rotary grain distribution systems for separating grain into a plurality of storage bins for storage and shipment has become increasingly popular. In a rotary system, a single distributor is employed to fill many storage bins positioned in a ring below the distributor. Such a system not only reduces the total area required for the system, but also increases the bin filling efficiency by being capable of switching from one bin to another relatively rapidly.
In order to operate the rotary distribution system at a relatively high grain flow rate, an improved method and apparatus for evacuating bins as they are being filled has been devised and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,578 issued Aug. 6, 1974 to R. M. Hough. In the system described in this patent, the rotary distributor selectively couples a source of grain to the grain filling chute associated with the storage bin by means of a grain filling chute and also evacuates air from the bin as it is being filled by employing a blower which draws air through an exhaust chute coupling the storage bin to the distributor. In such a system, a sliding seal in the form of an arcuate segment is employed for sealing the lower end of the distributor filling and evacuating chutes to the particular bin desired. The remaining bins are in continuous communication with one another through the interior of the rotary distributor. In the system, the distributor is driven by a chain and sprocket arrangement for aligning the distributor filling and evacuating chutes with those of the desired bin. Also in such system, a cyclone precipitator is mounted above the distributor for separating particulate material from the evacuated air and returning it to the grain filling stream.
Although the system described in the above patent represents a significant advancement in the art of rotary grain distributing systems, the direct communication of the grain storage bins through the housing is undesirable inasmuch as it permits the transmission of a dust explosion between bins should such an explosion occur in one of the bins. Additionally, the drive system, although adequate for most purposes, does not assure exact alignment of the filling and evacuation chutes of the distributor with those of the desired storage bin.